Heat transfer assembly

ABSTRACT

A heat transfer member having an annular chamber connectable to a source of heated fluid, as the exhaust of an internal combustion engine, for changing the temperature of an environment surrounding the heat transfer member. The heat transfer member has a tubular circular shape with an inlet on one side of the member and an outlet on the opposite side of the member.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Lewis L. Ruter 218 26th Ave. N. Apt. 7, Minneapolis, Minn. 5541] [21] Appl. No. 815,448 [22] Filed Apr. 11, 1969 [45] Patented Feb. 16, 1971 [54] HEAT TRANSFER ASSEMBLY 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs. [52] U.S. C1 126/271.l, 126/367 [51 Int. Cl. F24h 1/06 [50] Field ofSearch 1261271.],

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,697,018 1/1929 Pearson 126/367 2,774,856 12/1956 Paulsen et a1. 126/360UX 2,990,829 7/1961 McDonough et a1. 126/360X 3,128,757 4/1964 Borman 126/271.1 3,189,021 6/1965 Giguere.... 126/271.1 3,301,998 1/1967 Trickey 126/367X Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Attorney-Burd, Braddock & Bartz' HEAT TRANSFER ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention broadly relates to a heat transfer assembly usable with a source of heated fluid to elevate or reduce the temperature of an environment. The heat transfer assembly has a heat conducting member with an annular chamber and an inlet and an outlet. A fluid-carrying means is used to connect the inlet to the source of heated fluid. In operation the heated fluid flows through the fluid-carrying-means and into the annular chamber and out through the oulet. The heat in the fluid is transferred to the heat-conducting member. The heat transfer assembly is usable to keep water from freezing in ice fishing holes. The annular member does not interfere with the line, bobber or other fishing equipment. The heaterassembly can utilize the exhaust gas from a motor vehicle normally used by the ice fisherman. IN THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the heater assembly of the invention used with an automobile to keep water from freezing in a fish hole;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the heater assembly of FIG. 1; i

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a modified heater assembly;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an adapter used to connect a plurality of heater assemblies to the exhaust pipe of a motor vehicle;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another modification of the heater assembly;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of afurther modified heater assembly.

Referring to the drawing, there is'shown in FIG. 1 the heat transfer assembly of the invention indicated generally at 10 connected to an exhaust system of a motor vehicle 11 for heating water in a an ice fishing hole 12. The motor vehicle can be an automobile, pick up truck, truck, bus, tractor, snowmobile and the like. The heat transfer assembly can be used with other sources of heated fluids, as liquids and gases, including water and anti freeze liquids. Cooling liquids can be used to reduce the temperature of the environment adjacent the heat transfer member. I

Heat transfer assembly 10 comprises an annular heater ring or heat transfer member 13 having an inlet 14 and an outlet 16. As shown in FIG. 3, ring 13 has an upright circular inside made from a length of pipe. The pipe is approximately cut at a 45 angle and secured together by welds, solder or the like in a right-angle relationship.

Heat conducting ring 13 is connected to the exhaust member or pipe 24 of the internal combustion engine with an adapter 26 and a long flexible heat-insulating hose 28. As shown in FIG. 5, adapter 26 has a head 27 carrying a plurality of outlet connectors 27A, 27B and 27C. Each outlet connector is adapted to be releasably joined to a hose so that the engine can be used to heat a plurality of heater rings. As shown in FIG. 1, adapter 26 can be releasably connected to a single heater ring. Also adapter can be connected to other sources of heated fluids, as a portable heater, stove or engine cooling system. The fluid can be a cooling fluid.

In use, hot exhaust gases from the engine are carried by the adapter 26 to the flexible hose 28 connected to the head 27. The hose 28 carries the hot gases to the inlet 14 of the ring 13. The inlet 14 directs the gases downwardly into the annular chamber'22. The flow of gases divides in chamber 22 to the right portion and left portion and then moves around ring 13 to the outlet 16. The gases move upwardly and laterally through the outlet 16. The cross-sectional area of chamber 22 is substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of inlet 14. The feeding of the gases into the top of chamber 22 and the change in direction of gas flow causes turbulence in chamber thereby increasing transfer of heat to sidewalls 17 and 18, bottom ring 19 and top ring 21. The left and right portions of the chamber provide two paths for the flow of gases thereby reducing the rate of gas flow through the ring 13 which increases the heating capacity of the ring. Chamber 22, being wall 17 surrounded by an upright circular outside wall 18. Bottom portions of the walls 17 and 18 are secured to a circular flat bottom ring 19. In a similar manner the top portionsof the walls 17 and 18 are secured to a flat top ring 21 to define an annular chamber 22. The sidewalls l7 and 18 and bottom wall 19 may be formed from a single member having a generally U- shaped cross section. The sidewalls 17 and 18 and rings 19 and 21 are made of heat conducting material, as sheet metal, aluminum sheets and the like. The inlet 14 comprises a right angle tubular member secured to the top plate 21. The tubular member has a passage in communication with the top of chamber 22. The inlet 14 projects upwardly and then radially outwardly from the top ring 2] beyond the outside periphery of ring 18. The outlet 16 is a similar tubular angle member secured to the top wall 21. The horizontal portion of the outlet 16 extends radially beyond the outer periphery of ring 18 whereby both the inlet 14 and the outlet 16 provide supports for the heater ring 13. Both the inlet 14 and outlet 16 are annular, permits continuous circular gas flow for gas that does not escape through outlet 16.

As shown in FIG. 1 when the ring 13 located in the top part of the ice fishing hole 13 the hot gases flowing through the heater ring 13 will keep the material, as metal, of the ring warm and thereby prevent the water in the hole from freezing. The hot gases continuously flow through the ring 13 as the outlet 16 is always open. As long as the engine is running the ring 13 will be provided with a continuous source of heat.

When the heat transfer ring 13 is located in an ice fishing hole, the entire ring is located below the surface of the water. The uprightsections of the inlet 14 and outlet 16 project laterally over opposite sides of the ice adjacent the hole to support the entire heat transfer assembly.

Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a modified form of the heat transfer ring indicated generally at 29. This ring is formed from heavy gauge metal and is capable of retaining considerable heat. The annular upright sides 31 and 32 are secured to bottom ring 33 and top ring 34 by corner welds 36. The annular chamber 37 is open to an inlet 38 secured to the top ring 34. An outlet (not shown) is secured to the top wall 34 opposite the inlet 38. The inlet 38 has an outwardly directed horizontal section which extends beyond the outer periphery of sidewall 31 similar to the inlet 14 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown another form of heattransfer ring indicated generally at 39 usable with the heat transfer assembly 10. The ring 39 has a pair of facing semicircular metal tubes 42 and 43, as copper tubing. The adjacent ends of the tubes 41 and 42 are connected to upright T- couplings 43 and 44 forming an annular chamber. Outwardly directed right angle inlet and outlet elbows 46 and 47 are attached to the upward openings of the T-couplings 43 and 44. As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 8, the elbows 46 and 47 extend outwardly in opposite directions beyond the T-couplings and are located above the horizontal plane of the semicircular tubes 41 and 42. The elbows 46 and 47 form the inlet and outlet for the ring.

Referring to FIG. 9, there is shown a further modification of the heat transfer ring indicated generally at 48. The ring 48 comprises a single coil 49 of tubular material, as copper tubing, having opposite ends 51 and 52 terminating adjacent opposite sides of the coil. A pair of interconnected right angle elbows 53 and 54 are secured to the end 51. In a similar manner,

a pair of interconnecting right-angle elbows 56 and 57 are connected to the end 53. The elbows 54 and 47 form the inlet and outlet for the ring.

The size and diameter of the ring may vary to accommodate different size fish holes. Preferably the inside diameter of the ring should be at least 5 inches with the ring having a height of at least between one and one-half to 3 inches so as to provide for an effective transfer of heat to the water in the hole. The adapter 26 attached to the exhaust pipe of the internal combustion engine may have a head 27 capable of receiving four or five separate hoses connectable to heating rings. in this manner, a plurality of ice fishing holes can be kept free of ice with a single engine.

The heat transfer ring 13 can be used as muffler in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine. The annular chamber 22 being larger than the inlet is an expansion chamber which alters the sound frequency damping the exhaust noise. in addition, the annular chamber and inlet and outlet allows a feed back of exhaust gases and interferes with linear projection of sound waves.

The heater assembly is usable to heat air as well as water. The heat-conducting member 13 with its annular chamber can be post positioned in a tubular pipe; Air moving in the pipe is heated by the heat-conducting member.

The heat transfer assembly has been described herein with respect to selected embodiments of the structure and uses thereof. Changes in size, materials of construction and shape may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lclaim:

l. A heat transfer assembly usable with a source of moving fluid to transfer heat from the fluid to a surrounding environment comprising: an annular heat-conducting member having an annular chamber and a top wall, an inlet and outlet connected to opposite portions of said top wall and projects in opposite directions whereby the chamber is located below the inlet and outlet, said inlet and outlet having passageways in fluid communication with the annular chamber, said passageways of the inlet and outlet having co cross-sectional areas substantially smaller than the cross-sectional area of the chamber whereby the velocity of the fluid flowing through the chamber is substantially slower than the velocity of the fluid moving through the passageways of the inlet and outlet, fluid carrying means connected to the inlet and connectable to the source of fluid to direct the fluid to the inlet and into the annular chamber where heat of fluid is transferred to said heat-conducting manner, said fluid escaping from the chamber through the outlet.

2. The heat transfer assembly of claim 1 wherein the annular heat-conducting member has a generally rectangular cross section.

3. The heat transfer assembly of claim 1 wherein the inlet and outlet are each right angle tubular members attached to the top wall of the heat conducting member, said tubular members having generally horizontal portions which project outwardly in opposite directions.

4. The heat transfer assembly of claim 1 including an adapter for connecting the means to an exhaust pipe of an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine.

5. The heat transfer assembly of claim 4 wherein the adapter has a plurality of outlet connectors connectable to additional means.

carrying means is a long flexible hose. 

1. A heat transfer assembly usable with a source of moving fluid to transfer heat from the fluid to a surrounding environment comprising: an annular heat-conducting member having an annular chamber and a top wall, an inlet and outlet connected to opposite portions of said top wall and projects in opposite directions whereby the chamber is located below the inlet and outlet, said inlet and outlet having passageways in fluid communication with the annular chamber, said passageways of the inlet and outlet having co cross-sectional areas substantially smaller than the cross-sectional area of the chamber whereby the velocity of the fluid flowing through the chamber is substantially slower than the velocity of the fluid moving through the passageways of the inlet and outlet, fluid carrying means connected to the inlet and connectable to the source of fluid to direct the fluid to the inlet and into the annular chamber where heat of fluid is transferred to said heat-conducting manner, said fluid escaping from the chamber through the outlet.
 2. The heat transfer assembly of claim 1 wherein the annular heat-conducting member has a generally rectangular cross section.
 3. The heat transfer assembly Of claim 1 wherein the inlet and outlet are each right angle tubular members attached to the top wall of the heat conducting member, said tubular members having generally horizontal portions which project outwardly in opposite directions.
 4. The heat transfer assembly of claim 1 including an adapter for connecting the means to an exhaust pipe of an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine.
 5. The heat transfer assembly of claim 4 wherein the adapter has a plurality of outlet connectors connectable to additional means.
 6. The heat transfer assembly of claim 4 wherein the fluid carrying means is a long flexible hose. 